<p>Lafayette's M/F ratio is 52/48, which is unusual for a LAC. Any theories why? Thanks.</p>
<p>Engineering.</p>
<p>The M/F ratio was actually higher when I attended in the late 70’s/early 80’s (closer to 55/45). However, that was shortly after it went coed. Like many peer institutions, the college was all-male until the early 70’s. [Lafayette</a> College - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“Lafayette College - Wikipedia”>Lafayette College - Wikipedia)</p>
<p>Dad’o’2 and LC82 are correct.</p>
<p>I spoke with an Admissions Rep in the spring of 2007 at an accepted student event. She said Laf was fortunate, their admissions dept had never been told to consider gender in application decisions. It always just works itself out, without any special effort by the admissions dept to keep it “balanced.”</p>
<p>The only reason I think of for the male / female ratio is the engineering program.
About a quarter of our student body are engineers and generally more male students choose to be engineers than female students.
This is just my guess and I could be wrong though.</p>
<p>I had looked at some other schools and they were REALLY heavy either on the male or female side (one school was 70/30 F/M). Lafayette’s ratio is really even, which I like. I do agree that part of the reason it is so even is because of the engineering program.</p>